The Coriolis Effects Ultimate Edition Hail To The King is a compact dual overdrive pedal inspired by the Analog Man King of Tone. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson describes it as "a compact King of Tone-inspired dual overdrive, using JRC4580D op-amps"1, and Delicious Audio calls it "a rather affordable take on the legendary Analogman King of Tone (a dual overdrive)"2. Where the King of Tone puts two Bluesbreaker-derived channels in a wide enclosure, the Hail to the King shrinks the format down using 9mm Alpha pots instead of the original's 16mm1.
The Ultimate Edition is the current version of the pedal. RockBoard's PedalPedia entry reports that all other versions of the Hail to the King have been discontinued, since the Ultimate combines the features of all of them3. It listed at $199 at the time of Guitar Pedal X's July 2024 review1.
What it is and what it does
The pedal gives you two identical overdrive channels in one box, each with its own footswitch. Because both channels are always wired in series, setting them up gives you three playback modes instantly available: Channel 1 alone, Channel 2 alone, or Channel 1 plus Channel 2 stacked1. Karlsson notes that with his settings the channels stack and increase intensity in the order Channel 1, then Channel 1 + 2, then Channel 21.
The circuit follows the King of Tone, which itself descends from the Marshall Bluesbreaker. Analog Man, maker of the King of Tone, publishes its manual under the Analog Man Guitar Effects name4, and Guitar Pedal X lists the Hail To The King's lineage as "2 x KOT BluesBreaker"5. The Hail to the King uses the same JRC4580D op-amps as the King of Tone1.
The controls on each channel
Both channels carry the same control set, which adds a Presence knob to the Volume, Tone and Drive arrangement of the King of Tone. Delicious Audio notes that "each channel benefits from an extra control for Presence for extra high-end fiddling"2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Output level for the channel |
| Tone | Sets the channel's tonal balance |
| Drive | Amount of overdrive |
| Presence | Extra high-end shaping, added beyond the King of Tone layout2 |
| High Gain switch | Adds +25% gain, changing the channel's gain structure12 |
| Hard Clip switch | Changes the gain structure of the channel2 |
| Soft Clip switch | Changes the gain structure of the channel2 |
| Footswitch | Engages the channel; Channel 1 on the right, Channel 2 on the left5 |
The pots are 9mm Alpha units rather than the 16mm pots used on the King of Tone, which is what allows the dual circuit to fit a compact enclosure1.
Clipping options: eight combinations per channel
The three toggles per channel, High Gain, Hard Clip and Soft Clip, open up a wide range of clipping flavors. Guitar Pedal X reports the pedal offers "eight clipping combinations per channel"1. With two identical channels, that means each side of the pedal can be voiced independently, and the two can then be stacked for a third combined sound.
On the diodes themselves, the two reports differ. RockBoard's entry says the Ultimate Edition was "updated with genuine NOS Panasonic MA858 diodes"3, while Delicious Audio reports "Telefunken BA282 and Toshiba 1S1588 diodes on each (identical) channel"2. Both reports date from July 2024, so the difference may come down to batch or revision.
Power: internal 9V or 18V switch
The pedal runs on 9V DC, center negative3. Inside there is a voltage switch offering 18V (High Headroom) or 9V (Stock) operation1. Delicious Audio describes it as "a toggle switch that makes it work internally at 18v, for extra headroom"2.
Karlsson found a practical difference between the two modes: "Generally I prefer being on the 9V Mode - obviously you get quicker breakup"1. In Guitar Pedal X's 2025 roundup of compact dual overdrives he also lists higher headroom at 18V among the pedal's remaining advantages over other compact King of Tone-style options5.
History and versions
The Hail to the King has been through several versions. Delicious Audio notes that "the Coriolis Effects Hail to the King has been around for a while, but the boutique company never ceased to improve it"2. The Ultimate Edition was announced in July 20242.
Guitar Pedal X's review covers the batch history: Batch 3 added a side-mounted FX loop1. The reviewer's own unit was a V2 edition, and he notes "the V3 got an additional bonus of an insert loop / fx-loop"6. On the trade-off, he writes:
"The later versions loose out a fraction on ultimate pedalboard-friendliness, but you obviously gain an FX Loop165!"
Guitar Pedal X, July 20241
The Ultimate Edition consolidates the line: RockBoard reports all other Hail to the King versions are discontinued, with the Ultimate combining their features3.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's review was positive on the engineering. In the site's 2024 year-end roundup, Karlsson called it "one of the great engineering achievements of the year - essentially shrinking a KOT down to compact dimensions"6. On value, the review notes "The HTTK delivers all this for just $199!"1.
The criticism raised was about output level: "I could always do with a little more volume - but there is sufficient volume onboard, just not a lot to spare for certain applications"1. His own Channel 1 settings give a picture of how the controls sit in use: Volume at 2:30, Tone at 3:00, Drive at 8:30, High Gain off, Hard Clip off, Soft Clip on, Presence at 1:001.
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Questions
What diodes does the Hail to the King Ultimate Edition use?
RockBoard's PedalPedia entry says the Ultimate Edition was updated with genuine NOS Panasonic MA858 diodes, while Delicious Audio's 2024 report describes Telefunken BA282 and Toshiba 1S1588 diodes on each channel. Both reports date from July 2024, so the difference may come down to batch or revision.
Does the Hail to the King Ultimate Edition have an effects loop?
Yes, on later units. Guitar Pedal X reports that Batch 3 of the pedal added a side-mounted FX loop, and that the newest editions carry an fx/insert loop that was not present on the reviewer's V2 edition. Earlier batches and the V2 did not have the loop.
What does the High Gain switch do on the Hail to the King?
Each channel has a High Gain toggle that adds about 25 percent more gain, changing the gain structure of that channel. It works alongside separate Hard Clip and Soft Clip toggles, which also reshape the gain structure per channel.
What op-amps are in the Coriolis Hail to the King?
Guitar Pedal X reports that the Hail To The King uses JRC4580D op-amps, the same type as the Analog Man King of Tone it is inspired by. The pedal also uses 9mm Alpha pots rather than the 16mm pots of the original, which is part of how it fits a dual overdrive into a compact enclosure.
Is the Hail to the King Ultimate Edition based on the Analogman King of Tone?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X describes it as a compact King of Tone-inspired dual overdrive, and RockBoard's entry calls it the ultimate version of the King of Tone. The King of Tone itself traces back to the Marshall Bluesbreaker circuit, so the Hail to the King shares that Bluesbreaker lineage.
Does the Hail to the King Ultimate Edition have an FX loop?
Later versions do. Batch 3 onward added a side-mounted FX loop, according to Guitar Pedal X. The reviewer notes these later versions lose a fraction of pedalboard-friendliness compared with the loop-free editions, but gain the loop itself.
Sources (6)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-07-16
- New Pedal: Coriolis Effects Hail To The King Ultimate Edition, Delicious Audio, 2024-07-15
- Hail to the King, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- KingofToneManualV4-2020.pdf, Analog Man Guitar Effects, 2020-11
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-05-15
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-16
